Move In
by metforce
Summary: Terra moves back into the Tower and rejoins the Titans. She will have to face her demons with the help of Tower’s resident halfdemon. Terr x Rae, NONROMANTIC. Oneshot, no more. See profile for how this fits into my storyline if interested.


**Move In**

Terra moves back into the Tower and rejoins the Titans. She will have to face her demons with the help of Tower's resident half-demon. Terr x Rae, NONROMANTIC. A one-shot, no more. See **_The Turquoise Stone_** for background. TT not mine.

Raven walked into Terra's room and switched on the light. The room had a musty smell to it. It was relatively clean; pretty good since keeping the room up had fallen to Beast Boy. The others really hadn't had time to give the place a good once over given the circumstances.

Terra's arrival had been unexpected to say the least. Raven and Beast Boy had insisted she return to the group once her powers were restored. A hasty conference with the other Titans had been arranged and by the slimmest of margins the unlikely duo's wishes were granted. Starfire had been the deciding vote. Robin and Cyborg balked at the idea. Robin's trust had been violated; a sin he was not ready to forgive. Cyborg was uncomfortable with the dynamics Terra would bring to the group. Though he wouldn't say it, he had a hunch there would be a fatal fallout between the two people most passionate about her return.

"Sorry if the place is a bit dirty, we didn't really have a chance to clean it up before you came," Raven said as she placed the cardboard box containing Terra's stuff on the floor and surveyed the room.

Raven turned around. Terra stood motionless at the doorway unwilling to reenter her old confines. She was dressed in a white tee-shirt and khaki shorts. Her over-sized backpack was strapped over her shoulders and she held two suitcases. These contained her entire possessions. She had talked to the boarding president about her withdrawal from school. Within hours she was packed and back in the Tower, in the same room where she had betrayed them all.

"Terra," Raven asked cautiously, "are you all right?" She could feel a great anxiety building and swirling in the girl she had trekked across the desert with the previous two days to reclaim her powers. Raven walked over to Terra, clasped her hand and attempted to bring her into the room. Terra looked at her with sorrowful eyes, took a deep breath then relented allowing Raven to guide her into the room.

Terra slowly walked forward out of Raven's grasp, placed her suitcases down then walked over to the bed. Slowly she fished her hands from her backpack's straps then dropped it on the bed. She scooted up on the bed, sat up against the bed rest and drew her knees to her chest and sighed. After a moment Terra scampered back down to her backpack, fished out her pick-hammer then crawled back up to the bed rest and resumed her position cradling it like a talisman.

Raven watched Terra with a mixture of sadness and curiosity. She could feel Terra's emotions ripple through her body. A mixture of anxiety, regret and remorse consumed the girl's troubled soul.

"Raven," Terra's weak voice struggled through the silence, "are you sure this is a good idea." A short pause followed. "I really appreciate what you and Beast Boy have done for me, but don't you think we should have waited and let the dust settle before I moved back?"

Raven smiled and laughed lightly. Terra soon joined her once she realized her comment matched the decrepit state Beast Boy had allowed the room to fall in to.

"Terra, Beast Boy and I cleared it with the others. You're welcome here as a Titan," Raven said sternly. "Did you really want to stay in that boarding school for another couple of months?"

Terra looked down and cradled her hammer. "No," she said meekly. "I don't think I could have stayed there once everyone found out who I was." Terra sighed again as another wave of sadness washed over her. "Always on the run…" her voice trailed off.

Raven watched as Terra's eyes glistened in the soft room lights. How many times had this girl run away from her problems? This time she would stand and face them. With their help Terra would cast out her demons and make herself whole.

Raven walked over to Terra's side and sat down. "You don't have to run anymore Terra," she said in her best reassuring voice. Terra glanced up and smiled slightly.

After a short moment Terra stood up and walked along the wall running her one hand on its smooth surface. She paused then examined the dust caked on her fingers.

"Sorry about the dust. Beast Boy was supposed to keep this room clean," Raven explained. "He was the one who insisted we keep it up after you were gone. Be thankful he didn't decide to move in while you were away."

Terra turned and looked at Raven as a broad smile crossed her face. "No kidding, his room's a wreck. Good thing I'm not a neat freak. I wonder what his Mom would say if she saw what a mess his room is."

Raven forced out a laugh at Terra's comment. Beast Boy mustn't have told Terra his parents had died long ago. She was sure he would have accepted a thousand paddles and four months of solitary confinement as punishment just to get one solid hug from his beloved mother.

Terra turned back to the wall and continued to run her fingers along its smooth surface. "Did he spend a lot of time in here?" she unexpectedly asked.

"What?" Raven replied.

"Did Beast Boy spend a lot of time in here after I was gone?" Terra repeated her question as her soft blue eyes focused on her.

Raven paused for a moment. She really didn't know for sure but she could guess there were times when he had snuck back in here when the others weren't looking. "I think so, but I'm not really sure. I don't keep track of Beast Boy's whereabouts if I can help it."

Terra smiled then turned back to the wall as her finger appeared to trace a pattern on the wall's smooth surface. "He likes me a lot doesn't he?" Terra turned her head and looked back at Raven.

Raven gave her a slight smirk. Hadn't they spent five hours talking with each other after Raven brought her back?

"I know," Terra replied to herself with a nervous laugh, "stupid question." She drew in a deep breath then turned to the wall and continued to trace out patterns in the dust.

"Would you guys mind if I changed this room around a little bit?" Terra asked cautiously.

"I wouldn't mind," Raven replied. "I don't think the others would either."

"What about Beast Boy?" Terra continued.

Raven paused for a moment. He had been behind putting the room together for her in the first place. "I don't know."

"Do you think he would understand if I did?" Terra asked as her soft eyes focused on Raven once again. "There are too many memories." Her voice fell off as another wave of guilt washed over her.

"What are you thinking of doing?" Raven quickly asked not wanting Terra to dwell too long in the dark past. She would do her best to bring her forward into a brighter future.

"I'm not sure," Terra replied. "Something more organic. Do you think I could get a fireplace in here?"

Raven tilted her head and gave Terra a puzzled look. "What for?"

Terra sighed. "I want a stone mantle; any stone in here would be a relief. It doesn't have to work; I just want a piece of Earth in here. It helps me maintain my balance. Do you know what I mean?" Terra asked

Raven thought back to their time in the canyons. Terra seemed to draw her strength from the Earth. Balance was something she understood all too well.

"I'll talk to Cyborg and see what we can do for you," Raven replied in a reassuring voice.

"Thanks," Terra replied softly. "I appreciate it."

Raven watched as Terra slowly walked along the walls of the room running her hand across them. She seemed much more meek and unsure than when she last came to them. Maybe her confident stature was just a mask to hide self doubt and loathing. How had this escaped her detection the first time? Upon further reflection Raven realized all of them were guilty of hiding some part of themselves. Some things were not meant for others to see, even when they were considered the best of friends.

"I hope Beast Boy doesn't take my redecorating the wrong way," Terra spoke up interrupting Raven's train of thought.

"He'll get over it," Raven replied. "He won't have a choice if he wants to spend any time in here."

Terra laughed upon hearing Raven's comment. "Yea, I guess he will be spending a lot of time in here won't he. You won't mind will you?" Terra asked unexpectedly.

Raven's heart stopped momentarily when she heard Terra's comment. "Are you serious?"

"Yea, I'm serious," Terra replied. "He talks about you a lot."

"He does?" Raven asked slightly amused.

Terra smiled noticing Raven's perplexed expression. "I thought you were an empath. Haven't you ever noticed how he feels around you?"

"No not really," Raven replied with slight disgust. She always tried to keep her distance from Beast Boy. This kept his bad jokes and his annoying childish pranks to a minimum. "You don't think I like him do you?"

"I don't know," Terra replied defensively. "I just don't want something to come between us." She looked down not wanting to ruin their developing friendship.

"Relax," Raven replied dryly. "There's absolutely nothing going on between us." Raven shuddered at the thought of her and Beast Boy going out with each other. "Besides, you shouldn't date people you live with."

"Why?" Terra asked looking back up with a slight smile.

"You just shouldn't," Raven explained. "What if something went wrong, then you'd be stuck in an uncomfortable situation."

"Yea, but what if something DIDN'T happen," Terra countered. "Would you want to go through your entire life wondering if you would have been happy if you had only taken a chance?"

Raven shook her head in disagreement. "I don't see it that way I guess."

Terra came back to the bed and sat down. "You're probably right," she said sadly. "Everything goes wrong for me anyway. I swear there's a dark cloud following me around. You'll be lucky if you don't get hit by a truck or this place doesn't burn down in the next couple of days."

"What do you mean?" Raven asked slightly amused at Terra's dark statement.

Terra sighed and curled up against the bed rest cradling her hammer again. "Things always go bad for me and anyone involved with me. It's always been that way. Better for me to be alone." Terra's voice trailed off as a dark shadow passed over her once again.

Raven could sense Terra drifting back into the dark abyss. "Don't listen to me. What the hell do I know about love anyway?"

Terra looked up into Raven's eyes and smiled as that dark shadow lifted from her soul. "Raven, you know more about love than you think."

"Spare me," Raven replied as she lightly waved her hand in the air dismissing any attempt at a lecture. "Do you want me to help you unpack anything?"

"No thanks," Terra replied. "I don't want to get anything out until I'm done with this room. Do know anything about painting?"

"Not a thing," Raven started to laugh lightly to herself.

"Good," Terra replied with a giggle. "Me neither. This should be a disaster."

Both girls laughed louder as they looked into each others smiling faces.

End of this story, see **_First Date_** if you want more….


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